


Training

by deepspecter



Category: Kamen Rider Ghost
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-13
Updated: 2016-10-13
Packaged: 2018-08-22 05:00:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8273854
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deepspecter/pseuds/deepspecter
Summary: Makoto's unfortunate crush on his mentor continually distracts him during their training exercises.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> How do more people not ship Adel and Makoto tho like Makoto goes back to the Ganma world so he can thank Adel and describes him as radiant? And Adel creates his own army of masochistic Makoto clones like all right there's something going on here. And have you seen the way Adel looks at his clones? Just saying.

_Smack_.

Makoto swivelled, catching Adel’s fist in his hand and deflecting the other oncoming punch. He had detected the soft yet quick sound of heels on concrete and immediately knew Adel was approaching with an attack. The two stayed locked in position for a brief moment.

“Your senses are sharp today. Very good,” the crown prince commented, a faint grin playing at his words. Makoto found himself biting his tongue as his breath caught in his throat and quickly swerved for a counter attack.

Their sparring continued like usual – Makoto’s agility and longer reach clashed against Adel’s strong and heavy palm strikes, neither really able to push the other into defence. But Adel had warned the day before that today’s match would be tougher than usual – what did he have in mind? Makoto lunged with a right hook which Adel sidestepped, and receded to avoid a counterattacking palm strike. These were all things Makoto were used to, but just as he decided to push for a stronger offence, the familiarities soon evolved into a completely different style that instead forced him into pure defence. Although the room they always trained in was large, Adel’s suddenly swift kicks and punches drove Makoto to the wall in no time, faster than he could register what was happening.

“Adel, wait–” Makoto blurted out, barely evading a kick to his side before Adel’s left hand plunged into his stomach, knocking the wind clean out of his lungs.

“No enemy ever waits for their opponent–” Adel replied sternly, his voice dagger-like. He caught Makoto by the throat with his right hand and thrust him against the wall.

“–And you’d be dead now if this match were serious.”

Makoto felt his skull connect with the concrete surface with a dull thud and a spreading pain that began to close around his head. His vision slid out of focus for a fraction of a second before gritty stars started to fade in and out of view. He barely felt Adel’s grip release as he slid to the floor, gasping and choking.

Adel peered down at Makoto with a mixture of annoyance and disappointment. “I know you are more capable than this. Had you not been caught off guard by my sudden change in style, you could have easily turned the battle around in your favour.” He dusted his coat off and folded his arms. “I’ve seen you fight against Ganma that are much faster than I was. This should have been easy for you.”

Steadying his breath, Makoto looked up to meet Adel’s eyes. “I’m sorry, I– I just wasn’t ready.”

Adel turned on his heel, leaving. “You must always be ready during battle. The moment your focus slips, you lose. I expect to see you back here tomorrow at the same time.”

Makoto sighed and leant his head back against the wall, turning it to the side so as to not agitate his bruise. Adel was right; his excuse was pathetic and he knew he had the skill and speed to get back on the offensive, even if he had lost a few precious seconds in his shock at the sudden change in style. But there was no way he could tell Adel that he was distracted by something else entirely – his heart froze in his chest as he remembered the way Adel closed the distance between them, the way his gaze grew more intense and his breathing deeper and harsher until it overtook the scuffling of their steps and Makoto could almost feel it against his skin and the sensation of his concentration slipping further and further away–

A surge of heat burnt through his body but all he could do was force himself back up on unsteady feet and drag himself back to his room.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adel decides Makoto needs more training - blindfolded.

“You’re on time. Good.”

Makoto whipped his head around in surprise. Adel’s voice had come floating out of the shadows as the Ganma prince himself entered the room stealthily.

Makoto looked down at his feet, bowing slightly. “I’m sorry about yesterday, Adel,” he said.

Adel continued to cross the room nonchalantly, barely acknowledging Makoto’s bow. “I’m not training you so you can lose battles over small mistakes. Don’t lose your focus like that again.”

Unconsciously, Makoto rubbed the bump on his head. The swelling had gone down slightly, but it was still throbbing and aching. The image of Adel’s steely eyes staring into him flashed into his thoughts and he felt his heart jolt. He quickly dropped his hand back beside him and straightened his posture, annoyed at his wandering mind.

“Put this on,” Adel commanded. He held a strip of black cloth out towards Makoto, who picked it up and regarded it with confusion, unsure of what to do with it.

“Tie it over your eyes. You’re to train with this from now on. It’ll help improve your senses,” Adel explained. “You need to be able to detect changes around you without relying on your eyes. Your senses are sharp, but not consistent enough.”

Nodding, Makoto tied the blindfold on and stood still, waiting for further instruction. Now that his eyes were out of commission, his breathing seemed louder and he could hear how short it was becoming and feel how tense his muscles were. Despite the hours he had spent in the room training with Adel, the space around him now felt alien. He tried to relax a little, but his nerves would not allow it.

Adel had begun pacing; Makoto could hear his voice slowly rotating around him.

“I’m going to go easy on you today. Focus on blocking and evading for now. We’ll move on to attacking when you get better.”

Makoto nodded again and crouched into a fighting stance, raising his fists and drawing his elbows in. He waited, in the darkness, his heartbeat racing.

A light scuffling came from his left, followed by an almost inaudible but unmistakeable sound of fabric on fabric. He shifted his weight for more support and raised his left arm outwards and sure enough, he felt the blow of a strike connect. It stayed for a second before disconnecting.

“You need to breathe,” Adel’s voice came from right beside Makoto’s ear. Makoto jumped and inhaled sharply, nearly choking. Adel’s face had to be right next to his right now – his reminder had been low but it sounded so loud and clear and all Makoto could think about was if he turned his face even slightly they would surely touch and although the blindfold was still on securely, he could clearly picture his mentor’s face up close in his mind and with that thought he felt his knees slightly buckle.

“You’re too nervous. You’re forgetting to breathe and your posture is becoming unstable.” Adel placed a firm hand on the small of Makoto’s back and chest, straightening his stance. Makoto had not expected this at all and a strange sound escaped from his throat. His heart began to thump harder and his face grew hotter than he ever imagined possible. Could Adel feel just how fast his heart was going? It felt like it was going to explode and Makoto was desperately wishing his jacket was enough to mask it and tried to force his embarrassment away but it only made matters worse. He also started to notice how dry his mouth was and how slick his palms were and swore that he was going to collapse right then and there.

Makoto felt himself begin to sway and his bruise began to pound again as his breathing came out shallow. He bit down on his tongue to stop himself from making any more weird noises when Adel’s grip on his torso tightened as he felt himself being propped back up on his sinking knees.

“Clearly, this isn’t going anywhere. Your body must still be trying to recover from yesterday.” Adel sounded slightly disappointed, but there was a… _concern_ to his voice that Makoto had never heard before. “Go back to your room and rest. There is no point in straining your body like this.”

The surrounding redness suddenly came back into view. Makoto squinted on instinct, his eyes quickly adjusting to the new light. In that brief moment, he realised that Adel’s arms were around him as his blindfold was being untied, the black velvet brushing against his jawline. He could feel the prince’s gaze focused on his face and immediately cast his eyes up, flustered. If he looked down, his breathing would probably stop altogether.

“I would like to see you back here tomorrow, but if you feel you need more rest, do so,” Adel said, letting his hand linger on Makoto’s nape for a half-second before taking the blindfold and leaving. “You’re one of my best fighters and I need you in top form.”

Makoto stood alone in the room, stunned, before shuffling off back to his room and, he thought, not passing out on the way was a miracle. The moment he closed his door behind him, however, his legs gave out and he flopped face-first into his bed, and he wanted to scream but all he could manage was a lengthy wheeze has he exhaled.

One of his, Adel’s, best fighters? Makoto turned the thought over in his head, clenching his pillow and pressing his face further into it. The prince was always so stern and unemotional and rarely gave him any other feedback besides the usual “you need to work on this more” or “you’re doing well”, and there were plenty of skilful and more experienced generals Makoto was surely being compared against, but he was proud of him? Adel, who, whenever he led and trained the Ganma forces, exuded an unwavering and radiant confidence... There was a magnetic quality to the way Adel fought and conducted himself – he always put so strength and conviction into every strike, and the haughty sternness with which he regarded everything was… _electrifying_. He was next in line for the throne and made sure everybody knew and respected that, and perhaps even fear the prospect a little. Makoto always found himself staring when he only meant to observe, and whenever Adel glanced over to where he was sitting, he would feel a small shock run through his body. And as he continued to watch he would feel something slowly but intensely stirring away underneath as all his other thoughts became scrambled and unfocused.

The heat in his cheeks flared up and his pulse went haywire as memories from the exercise resurfaced, and the moments of Adel’s hands on and around him was all that played in his mind for the rest of the long, long night.

 


End file.
